Psychological Tests
Chapter 15: Psychological Tests
Case Study: Testing Your Work Personality Type
Section 1: Psychology and Testing
Section 2: Measuring Achievement, Abilities, and Interests
Section 3: Personality Tests
Section 4: Taking Tests
Lab: Applying What You’ve Learned
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Psychological Tests
Case Study: Testing Your Work Personality
Type
Have you ever wondered how you or someone else would
classify your personality? Many people like to learn about
themselves and others and to identify their personalities.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is one of the
most popular personality tests. It was developed to help
people find a job that they both enjoyed and excelled at.
The test classifies people into one of 16 types based on
factors such as introversion, intuition, and judging. The
MBTI is just one kind of psychological test; there are many
others.
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Psychological Tests
What do you think?
• What are the four dimensions that MBTI measures?
• How might being labeled as having a certain type of
personality affect you on the job?
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Psychological Tests
Section 1 at a Glance
Psychology and Testing
• Psychological tests assess abilities, feelings, attitudes,
and behavior.
• For a psychological test to be useful and accurate, it has
to be standardized, reliable, valid, and have norms for
scoring.
• Computers can be used to administer tests and help
students prepare for tests.
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Psychological Tests
Psychology and Testing
Main Idea
Psychological tests include achievement tests, aptitude tests, interest
tests, and personality tests.
Reading Focus
• What are some uses of psychological tests?
• What are four important features of a psychological test?
• How can computers be used in testing?
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Psychological Tests
Do the bumps on your
head say something
about what is in your
brain?
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Psychological Tests
Uses of Psychological Tests
• Achievement test: determines how much students have learned
• Aptitude and interest tests: determine whether he or she is suited for
certain occupations
• Personality test: identify the psychological traits that make up a
person’s personality
• Tests claim to be able to predict a student’s future behavior, such as
benefiting from certain educational experiences or succeeding in
college.
• Behavior-rating scales are used to measure behavior in such
places as classrooms and hospitals.
• Self-reports rely on answers from people about their feelings and
experiences.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Analyze
What are behavior-rating scales used for?
Answer: to measure behavior in specific locations,
such as classrooms or hospitals
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Psychological Tests
Features of Psychological Tests
Standardization
• Standardized test: administered and scored the same way every time
• Some experts question the validity of these tests
Reliability and Validity
• Reliability: a test’s consistency
• Validity: the extent that the test measures and predicts accurately
• Validity scales: questions that allow the scorer to know whether
the test-taker is answering truthfully or not
Norms
• Norms: established standards of performance that set averages
• Norm group: a large group of test takers that are similar to those for
whom the test is intended
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What is a standardized test?
Answer: one administered and scored the same
way every time
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Psychological Tests
Computers and Testing
• Computers can be used to administer tests and to help students
prepare for tests such as the SAT and ACT.
– Practice tests contain detailed tutorials, practice questions, and
recommended strategies
• Computerized Assessment System for Psychotherapy Evaluation and
Research (CASPER) is one computer-based psychological test.
– Asks a wide variety of questions about relationships, activities, life
satisfaction, and behavior
• People find CASPER user-friendly, and results appear to be more
consistent when the test is administered on a computer.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What is one advantage of computer testing?
Answer: standardization easier, more consistent
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Psychological Tests
Section 2 at a Glance
Measuring Achievement, Abilities, and Interests
• Three major kinds of tests measure achievement,
aptitudes, and interests.
• Achievement tests measure people’s skills and
knowledge in specific academic areas.
• Aptitude tests measure a specific set of skills.
• Vocational aptitude tests help people figure out what their
interests are.
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Psychological Tests
Measuring Achievement, Abilities, and
Interests
Main Idea
Achievement tests and aptitude tests are both commonly administered
to students in high school.
Reading Focus
• What do achievement tests measure?
• What do aptitude tests measure?
• How do people distinguish between achievement and aptitude?
• What are two vocational interest inventories?
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Psychological Tests
What do you want
to be when you
grow up?
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Psychological Tests
Achievement Tests
• Achievement tests measure people’s skills and the knowledge they
have in specific academic areas.
– History or math tests are examples.
– Intelligence and motivation play roles, but so does learning.
– Students who wish to go to graduate school may be required to take a
test in their major field of study.
– Tests are designed to show whether students have enough knowledge in
the specific area to succeed.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What are some examples of achievement
tests?
Answer: school test in history, math, science
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Psychological Tests
Aptitude Tests
• Aptitude tests measure whether a person is likely to do well in a
given field of work or study.
– Scholastic Assessment Test is a general aptitude test.
– The SAT predicts how well students are likely to do in college.
– The Law School Admission Test and the Medical College Admission Test
use percentile grade equivalent scores.
– Aptitude is not the only factor that influences achievement in school.
• Positive attitude
• Placing a high value on education
• Perseverance
• Optimism
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Identify Supporting Details
What is an example of an aptitude test?
Answer: SAT, LSAT, MCAT
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Psychological Tests
Distinguishing Between Achievement and
Aptitude
• Aptitude tests are intended to measure potential for learning in a
specific area.
– They are usually given before a person has had any training in the
specific area, and used to predict how well the person will do in that
area.
– However, current abilities and future success are often based on past
achievements.
• The SAT consists of verbal and quantitative parts that test the
amount one has learned or achieved.
– It may be that there is no such thing as a “pure” aptitude test.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What two areas of knowledge does the SAT
rely heavily upon?
Answer: verbal and quantitative (mathematical)
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
Vocational Interest Inventories
• People usually perform better in
jobs that interest them, and people
who share interests with those who
are successful at a job are more
likely to be successful.
• Vocational interest inventories
help find interests
Kuder® Career Search
• Forced-choice format: the test
taker is forced to choose one of the
answers, even if none seems to fit
exactly
• Results show interests such as
science, music, art, literature, etc.
CampbellTM Interest and
Skill Survey (CISS®)
Evaluation of Interest
Inventories
• Not as direct as the Kuder test
• They are useful to students who do
not have specific career goals.
• Compares test taker’s interests
with interests of people successful
in various jobs
• Tests provide only one source of
guidance.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What is a forced-choice format?
Answer: test in which a person is required to choose one
answer; “none of the above” is not an option
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Psychological Tests
Current Research in Psychology
Implicit Attitude Tests
These tests measure what people’s actions reveal them to implicitly, or
unconsciously, believe.
• Many implicit attitude tests reveal
that many people have unstated
and unacknowledged prejudices
base on race and gender.
• One test reveals that both white
and black test takers are more
likely to perceive black men as a
threat.
• Project Implicit studies beliefs
about disabilities, religion, body
weight, and age.
• Most people have biases against
women in positions of power and
authority.
• Many people reveal prejudice
against obese people.
• Some recent research says that
answers might change if the test
taker knows the results will be
made public.
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
Thinking Critically
• What do implicit attitude tests measure?
• What are some ways implicit biases might be overcome?
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Psychological Tests
Section 3 at a Glance
Personality Tests
• Objective tests present test takers with a standardized
group of test items in the form of a questionnaire.
• Projective tests have no clearly specified answers and
use an open-ended format.
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Psychological Tests
Personality Tests
Main Idea
Objective tests and projective tests can help to describe and measure
various aspects of personality.
Reading Focus
• What are objective tests?
• How would you describe projective tests?
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Psychological Tests
Why are people
the way they are?
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Psychological Tests
Objective Tests
A person’s personality consists of his or her characteristics,
habits, preferences, and moods. Psychologists sometimes use
tests to determine psychological problems. Objective tests
present test takers with a standardized group of test items in the
form of a questionnaire.
Minnesota Multiphasic
Personality Inventory (MMPI)
• Most widely used test
• Consists of true/false questions
• Can determine psychological
problems, as well as tendencies
• Scores are placed on a scale
that helps determine problems
California Psychological
Inventory (CPI)
• Designed to test “normal”
personality traits
• CPI more reliable than MMPI
• Seems to be a better indicator
of success, leadership, and
reactions to stress
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Find the Main Idea
What are two examples of objective tests?
Answer: the MMPI-2 and the CPI
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Psychological Tests
Projective Tests
Projective tests: test takers are asked to report what the stimuli
represent to them
Open-ended format: no specified answers
Rorschach Inkblot Test
Thematic Apperception Test
• Test takers look at an inkblot
and tell the psychologist what it
looks like to them.
• Test takers are given a card
with an illustration, and are
directed to tell a story about
what is occurring in the picture.
• Attempts to standardize the
Rorschach conclude that four
factors influence answers:
location, determinants, content,
and form.
• The test taker’s answer can
reveal his or her needs or
values.
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
Click on the
image to play
the Interactive.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What are two examples of projective tests?
Answer: the Rorschach inkblot test and the
Thematic Apperception Test
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Psychological Tests
Section 4 at a Glance
Taking Tests
• Students can follow some general tips to improve their
performance on tests.
• Multiple-choice questions are common on standardized
tests such as the SATs.
• There are ways for students to reduce test anxiety.
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Psychological Tests
Taking Tests
Main Idea
Taking tests can be a nerve-racking experience, but there are ways to
improve your performance.
Reading Focus
• What are some tips for taking tests?
• Multiple-choice questions are found on what sorts of tests?
• What are some warning flags in true-false questions?
• What strategies can you use for short-answer and essay questions?
• How can you reduce test anxiety?
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Psychological Tests
Why are my palms
sweating?
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Psychological Tests
Tips for Taking Tests
Gather Information
• Some students know the material
being tested, yet still perform poorly
on tests.
• You might think you have little
control over the tests you take, but
there are many things students can
do to take charge of tests.
• Learn where and when the next
test will be given.
• Find out what kinds of questions
will be asked.
• Ask previous students where
questions come from.
Practice
Be Test-Wise
• Plan regular study periods.
• Read and follow the directions.
• Create a study group.
• Bring the right materials to class.
• Define key terms and outline essay
questions.
• Have working pens and paper.
• Answer all questions, even those
not assigned.
• Ask teachers if you can use a
dictionary or calculator.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Recall
What is an example of being test-wise?
Answer: read directions, follow them closely; bring right
materials to class; ask about using helpful tools
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Psychological Tests
Multiple-Choice Questions
• Multiple-choice questions encourage students to focus on the right
answer (and reject the wrong ones), and they can be graded quickly
and objectively.
• Hints:
– Try to answer before you look at the choices.
– Consider every possible choice.
– Look for answers that are opposite: one of them is likely to be the
answer.
– Look for the best choice listed.
– Mark difficult questions so that you can come back to them later.
– Guess only when the odds of gaining points outweigh the odds of losing
points.
– Change your answer if you think you’ve made a mistake.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Analyze
Why should you look for answers that are
opposites?
Answer: One of the two is likely to be correct.
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
True-False Questions
• True-false questions can be tricky.
• Hints:
– For the item to be true, every part of it must be true.
– Be wary of items that use absolutes such as all, always, or never.
– Items that provide more information and are longer than others tend to
be true.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Analyze
What are the odds of answering a true-false
question correctly?
Answer: 50 percent
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Psychological Tests
Short-Answer and Essay Questions
• Short-answer items ask the test taker to give a brief response to a
question.
• Hints:
– Answer in brief but complete sentences.
– Include significant terms in your answer.
– Avoid simply restating the question in different terms or making circular
arguments.
– Use detail if time and space allow.
• Essay question hints:
– Make certain you understand the question.
– Make a quick outline before beginning to write.
– Express your strongest ideas first.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What is the first step in answering an essay
question?
Answer: making certain you understand the question
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Psychological Tests
Test Anxiety
Be Prepared
• Some students experience feelings
of dread and foreboding before and
during exams.
• Some test-anxious students allow
negative thoughts and self-doubts
to distract them from the test.
• Review the material beforehand.
• Avoid cramming, or preparing
hastily for an exam.
• Plan regular study sessions.
Overlearn
Think Helpful Thoughts
• Review materials even after you
think you have mastered them.
• Cognitive restructuring: writing
down negative thoughts and
replacing them with positive
thoughts.
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Psychological Tests
Reading Check
Summarize
What is cognitive restructuring?
Answer: consciously changing the thoughts one has in a
given situation
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Psychological Tests
Lab: Applying What You’ve Learned
Writing a Personality Quiz
What do your answers to questions on a personality quiz
say about you? Can your answers reveal your gender?
1. Introduction
2. Writing the Quiz
• In this lab, you will simulate a
personality quiz by writing test
items for such a test.
• Review the questions to
determine if they are
appropriate and valid.
• The class will work in groups
divided by gender to write
questions.
• Choose the top five questions.
• List why each one is valid.
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Psychological Tests
Lab (cont'd.)
3. Class Presentation
4. Written Presentation
• First, answer the top five
questions. Then discuss how
the questions were created.
• After participating in the group
presentation, each individual
should write a couple of
paragraphs describing what he
or she has learned.
• Each group should present their
questions to the class.
• Explain how they came up with
the questions.
• Explain how the questions
reveal personality, especially
gender traits.
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Psychological Tests
Lab (cont'd.)
5. Discussion
• As a class, discuss the following:
• How successful was the class at writing quiz items?
• Were some items particularly easy to write? Why?
• Were some items particularly difficult? Why?
• What kinds of questions are most effective? Why?
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Psychological Tests
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Psychological Tests
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